


a thousand miles from home

by Charante_Leclerc



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, alone in london, fluff at christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:05:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21837859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charante_Leclerc/pseuds/Charante_Leclerc
Summary: Dan is homesick at Christmas, but maybe Jev can cheer him up...
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Jean-Eric Vergne
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13
Collections: Motorsport Secret Santa 2019





	a thousand miles from home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sweetpeapoppy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetpeapoppy/gifts).

It wasn’t that he wasn’t looking forward to Christmas. He loved Christmas, the general happiness that came with it, chilling with lots of food, drinks and friends. That’s how his Christmas had always been. Except for this year. This year, he was spending it halfway across the world in a brand new city, and knowing only a handful of people. This year, his Christmas would be spent alone, with maybe the possibility of a skype call in the evening.

He’d moved only a month ago, and had barely had time to settle in at work before the holidays had started. A few people had asked him what he was doing for Christmas, but a smile and a positive answer had made it seem like he was okay. He didn’t want any pity offers of spending Christmas with people, and in all honesty, he knew that it’d be awkward. The new guy at work who doesn’t know anyone else, he could almost hear the hushed whispers.  _ Only been here a few weeks, so far from home, Australia is such a long way _ . He just didn’t want that following him around when they went back, it was just embarrassing. As much as he didn’t really want to spend Christmas alone (not that he had much of a choice), spending it with someone at work and their family giving him pity looks just seemed way worse.

He sighed as he jogged down the stairs, pulling out his key for his letterbox. A few days to Christmas, and someone had managed to decorate the foyer with tinsel, twirling it around anywhere they could. It was a little frightening, to be honest.

“Hello.” A man came in through the door, shaking the water from his hair. “What has someone done to this place?”

Dan shrugged. “It looks like an elf threw up, to be honest. Well intentioned, but terrifying.”

The other man laughed, looking up at the decorations. “I think that is accurate. As long as they take it down again…”

“I will take it down myself.” Dan said, grinning. “I’m not dealing with all of this for a year. No way.”

The other man smiled back. “I will hold you to that!” He chuckled, heading towards the stairs. “Have a good evening.”

“You too.” Dan called, grabbing his post. “Aw man, a missed parcel…”

~*~

_ “Everyone misses you here. It’s not the same.”  _ His mum’s voice came through his phone, cracking a little bit.  _ “The kids all keep asking where you are.” _

“Why did you have to tell me that?” Dan whined a little, trying to stop himself tearing up. “I’m sorry, I wish I was there. It doesn’t feel like home at all here, it just keeps on raining.”

_ “Have you got a good coat?” _ His mum asked, sounding concerned.  _ “Because you don’t want to get a cold straight away, and you’ve never been in a cold climate before.” _

“I’ve got a good coat, don’t worry Mum. And I haven’t really been outside much the last few days, just to the shop. The shop’s are shut tomorrow, and I’ve got the heating on before you ask.” He said quickly, hearing the intake of breath. “It’s all good. And next year I’ll save up my holidays so I can come home for Christmas, I’m not doing two years away from you lot."

_ “It’d be lovely to see you properly, rather than just a call.” _ His mum said.  _ “I’m not saying that this promotion isn’t a good thing, it is, but London is just so far away.” _

“I know.” Dan sighed. “I promise, next Christmas. And you said that you and Dad would be over in the summer, so you’d better keep to that.”

_ “Of course Dan. Okay I better go, your Dad is trying to put on put on some food and I don’t want him to burn it.” _

“Course Mum. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

_ “Love you too.” _ His mum said, hanging up a split second later. Dan shook his head to himself, not stopping the smile that grew on his face, wishing he could see his mum trying to stop his dad from burning whatever he was trying to cook.

_ Knock, knock _ . 

Dan frowned, turning to stare at the door. He didn’t know anyone to knock at his door, and he would’ve had to buzz someone up from the street. He cautiously walked over to the door, even though he knew realistically that burglars don’t knock. He looked through the peephole, and it was the guy from the foyer a few days ago, looking between the door and the corridor like he was almost about to give up. He pulled open the door, looking amused. “Nice to see you again.”

“Ah! It’s you who lives here!” The guy exclaimed. “I was worried, some of the people are less nice in the corridor. I was just wondering if I could use your washing machine? Mine has stopped working, and no-one will come out on Christmas Eve to fix it.”

“Uh, sure, yeah. That’s fine.” Dan nodded, gesturing for the man to come inside. “Do you want to get your stuff now, or I can show you…?”

“I will go get my clothes, sorry, give me just a few seconds!” The man disappeared into a door down the corridor, then only a minute later returning with a large pile of clothes, locking his door with one hand. “Thank you, sorry.”

“That’s okay, I’m not doing much today.” Dan shrugged, standing back to let him in, shutting the door with a click. “It’s just in here, um, it works like a washing machine? I don’t know, I literally just shove mine in and hope for the best.”

“You have not been here long though, no? I think I would have seen you around before.” The guy asked, shoving his stuff in and switching the machine on. “And from the accent…”

“Yeah, I’m a long way from home.” Dan said wryly. “You don’t sound too local either though.”

“You caught me.” The guy laughed. “Came here from Paris five years ago now, and still cannot lose the accent.”

“Don’t try and lose the accent, it’s a great accent!” Dan laughed. “I’m Dan by the way.”

“Jean-Eric, but you can call me Jev. It is easier I think, no?”

“Well then Jev, would you like a coffee?”

Jev laughed. “And not even a date beforehand.”

“Well, your laundry is in my machine.” Dan waggled his eyebrows. “Honestly it’d just be nice to have the company, unless you have things to do?”

Jev shook his head. “Absolutely nothing. Coffee would be great.”

~*~

Christmas day just felt a little off to him, in a way he couldn’t really explain. He’d called his parents in the morning, and he had been passed around every family member and neighbour and friend in what had felt like a five-mile radius. It had been a whirlwind tour of  _ how are you, are you sure you’re warm enough, we miss you so much _ . Once he’d hung up, there hadn’t really been much to do. No presents to open, he wasn’t bothering with a Christmas dinner just for one, and even the good TV wasn’t starting until later in the day. He almost wished that he’d taken someone up on spending the day with their family. Almost. 

He was flicking through the channels, just trying to find something that was at least vaguely interesting and wouldn’t make him horrifically homesick, when there was a knock at his door. He frowned, staring at it. Who’d be at his door on Christmas day? It should be no-one. He could even guarantee that no-one from home had flown over to surprise him, because he’d literally just spoken to everyone. 

He heaved himself up, inwardly going through his mental index of people he knew in London (currently, only about 3 semi-well), as he opened the door. “Jev?”

“Hey.” Jev gave an awkward wave. “I was just wondering if you wanted some dinner? I have made too much, and I do not want to be eating turkey in January, really.”

Dan blinked. “Are you… are you asking me to spend Christmas dinner with you?”

“I suppose, yes.” Jev shrugged. “I am alone, and you are alone I think? It would be nice for some company.”

“Uh… sure.” Dan agreed, almost surprised about his own eagerness. “Do you want me to bring anything? Wine?”

“Dan, I will never say no to wine.” Jev said seriously. “Come on, dinner is waiting!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

~*~

He wasn’t going to lie, Jev’s turkey may have been the best thing he’d ever tasted (not that he was gonna tell his mum that though). They’d eaten, chilled most of the afternoon watching terrible Christmas movies, and in all honesty, he didn’t want to move every again. He wasn’t sure if it was the food, or alcohol, or maybe just the feeling that he wasn’t completely alone. Whatever it was, he just wanted it to last just a little longer.

“I am glad you’re here Dan.” Jev said sleepily. “It is nice to have someone to share this with.”

“Me too.” Dan replied, snuggling down under the blanket Jev had given him. “What did you do last year?”

“I celebrated with my boyfriend and his family. It was not great.”

Dan frowned. “Why not?”

“He broke up with me over dinner.” Jev said, shrugging. “I am better off anyway.”

“Damn straight.”

“What about you?” Jev asked, turning to look at him. “What is Christmas like in Australia?”

“Aw man, my parents literally have the entire town round. I’ve never known a Christmas when there aren’t like fifty people round. And because it’s super warm there now, everyone is just chilling in the yard, and it’s just relaxed. Everyone brings food, and it’s basically like the biggest picnic buffet.” Dan sighed, trying not to think of all he’d missed that day. “It’s great.”

“You miss it.”

“Yeah. I’ve loved it, this year. I mean it, thanks for saving me from having like a crappy ready meal for dinner. But…”

“It’s not home.” Jev said kindly. “It is okay, I know what you mean.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem, Dan.”

~*~

“Dan!” His mum ran to greet him, crushing him into a hug. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”

“I video call you every week.” Dan tried to protest, grinning. “It’s nice to see you too.”

“Your dad’s in the car, we’d better get going. Oh, it’s so nice that you’ve got so much time off, you need a real break! And everyone’s so excited to see you again.” His mum said happily, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “And you!” She turned to Jev, pulling him into a hug. “You have to meet everyone, you’re the talk of the town! They all think Dan is so fancy now, with his French boyfriend. I think they need to see you to believe you!”

Dan laughed as Jev nodded along with his mum’s ramblings, looking a bit bewildered. He wasn’t going to lie, he’d missed Christmas at home, with everyone around. But last Christmas was always going to be special, at least to him. And Jev would have the opportunity to forget the last Christmas he spent with a boyfriend’s parents. He might have been broken up with over dinner, but he had no plan to do that. Definitely not.

Hopefully Jev didn’t find the ring in his suitcase before that. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! ❤️


End file.
